Cosmos plant named ‘New Choco’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Cosmos  plant named ‘New Choco’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely flowering habit; single type inflorescences with intense red-colored ray florets; relatively tolerant to Powdery Mildew; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Cosmos atrosanguineus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘New Choco’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Cosmos plant, botanically known as Cosmos atrosanguineus and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘New Choco’.

The objective of the breeding program is to create new Cosmos cultivars that are less susceptible to Powdery Mildew and more tolerant to high temperatures.

The new Cosmos originated from an open-pollination in June, 2002 In Iga Mie, Japan of an unnamed seedling selection of Cosmos atrosanguineus, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unidentified selection of Cosmos atrosanguineus, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Cosmos was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Iga Mie, Japan in June, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Cosmos by vegetative cuttings was first conducted in Iga Mie, Japan in June, 2004. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Cosmos are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar New Choco have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘New Choco’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘New Choco’ as a new and distinct potted Cosmos cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Single type inflorescences with intense red-colored ray         florets.     -   5. Relatively tolerant to Powdery Mildew.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Cosmos differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Cosmos root faster than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Cosmos are more freely branching than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Cosmos and the female parent selection         differ in ray floret coloration.     -   4. Plants of the new Cosmos are more tolerant to rain and high         temperatures than plants of the female parent selection.     -   5. Plants of the new Cosmos are more tolerant to Powdery Mildew         than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Cosmos can be compared to plants of the Cosmos cultivar Strawberry Choco Sanse 41, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,966. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Kwakel, The Netherlands, plants of the new Cosmos differed from plants of the cultivar Strawberry Choco Sanse 41 in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Cosmos were more compact than plants of the         cultivar Strawberry Choco Sanse 41.     -   2. Plants of the new Cosmos and the cultivar Strawberry Choco         Sanse 41 differed in leaf, inflorescence bud and ray floret         color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Cosmos. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Cosmos.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘New Choco’ grown in a container.

The photograph in the middle of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘New Choco’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical leaves of ‘New Choco’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter and spring in De Kwakel, The Netherlands in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial potted Cosmos production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 16° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were pinched one time. Plants used in the photographs and for the description were pinched one time and were about six months old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Cosmos atrosanguineus cultivar New Choco. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed seedling selection of             Cosmos atrosanguineus, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unidentified selection of Cosmos             atrosanguineus, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures of about 20° C. to 36° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at             temperatures of about 13° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of about 20° C. to 36° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures of about 13° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fleshy; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit;             relatively compact. Freely branching growth habit with about             13 lateral branches developing per plant; pinching enhances             lateral branch development. Moderately vigorous to vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 44.6 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 70 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 33.4 cm. Diameter: About             4.5 mm. Internode length: About 5.5 cm. Strength: Moderately             strong; young stems, flexible. Texture: Densely pubescent.             Color: Between N186C and 200A to 200B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 7.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 7.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Pinnatisect.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Pinnatifid.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 143A. Developing             foliage, lower surface: 146B. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: 137A; venation, 144C, towards the base, flushed             with 176B. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B;             venation, 148C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3.8 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: 176B; wings, 143B to 143C. Color, lower             surface: 147B flushed with 176B; wings, 143A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Single type inflorescence form with             obovate-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences terminal and             axillary and face mostly upright. Disc and ray florets             arranged acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences             moderately fragrant, pleasant.         -   Flowering season.—Plants flower from late spring to late             summer in The Netherlands; flowering continuous during this             period.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about ten days             on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit, about             nine inflorescences develop per lateral branch.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About             1.2 cm. Shape: Globular. Color: Towards the base, 144A to             144B; towards the apex, between N186A and N186C.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4.4 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.5 cm. Diameter of disc: About 4 mm. Receptacle             diameter: About 4 mm. Receptacle height: About 2.5 cm.         -   Ray florets.—Shape: Obovate. Length: About 2.1 cm. Width:             About 1.3 cm. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About eight in             about two whorls. Color: When opening and fully opened,             upper surface: Slightly darker and more red than 187A. When             opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 187A;             towards the base, 187C to 187D.         -   Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at center of receptacle.             Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Acute. Length: About             1.1 cm. Diameter, apex: About 1.9 mm. Diameter, base: About             0.8 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About 60.             Color, immature: Close to 200A. Color, mature: Towards the             apex, close to 200A; mid-section, close to 2B to 2C; towards             the base, close to 145C.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 20             arranged in two whorls. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About             2.5 mm. Shape: Obovate to elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, outer whorl, upper and lower             surfaces: Between 143A and 147A. Color, inner whorl, upper             and lower surfaces: 187B to 187C; towards the apex, 187A;             towards the base, 145B.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 6.6 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle: Mostly erect to about 30° from             vertical. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: 152A to 152B; towards the base, 177A to             177B; at the base, between N186C and 200A to 200B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Lanceolate.             Anther color: 200A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:             14A. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Pistil             length: About 6 mm. Stigma shape: Two-parted. Stigma color:             Between N186C to 200A. Style length: About 5 mm. Style             color: 151B. Ovary color: 145C to 145D.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Cosmos have been observed     to be relatively tolerant to Powdery Mildew. Resistance to pests and     other pathogens common to Cosmos has not been observed on plants     grown under commercial conditions. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Cosmos have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures from about −3° C. to about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Cosmos plant named ‘New Choco’ as illustrated and described. 